Louis Armstrong: Satchmo at the National Press Club—Red Beans and Rice-ly Yours

On January 29, 1971, at the National Press Club in Washington, Louis Armstrong played five rousing numbers in an impromptu performance celebrating the inauguration of fellow Louisiana native Vernon Louviere as the club's president. In his last live recording, Satchmo creates fresh improvisations on "When It's Sleepy Time Down South" and "Hello, Dolly!" while singing "Rockin' Chair," "Mack the Knife," and the autobiographical "Boy From New Orleans" with undiminished panache. The album's title refers to one of Louisiana's staples and is a phrase Armstrong often used to sign letters. His favorite recipes—from Louisiana Caviar to the Sazerac—are included in the liner notes, as they were in the original, limited-edition LP. Filling out the CD are six tribute tunes by longtime bandmates Tyree Glenn and Tommy Gwaltney, including "Royal Garden Blues," "Mood Indigo," and "A Kiss to Build a Dream On."

"Armstrong was the undisputed fountainhead of American jazz. With his bright, clear trumpet and his ebullient, gravelly voice, he more or less defined how jazz is meant to be played and sung."—Washington Post